23 August, 1943 - The Quebec Conference

 In yesterday's letter, dated 22 August, Stan referred to "the talks at present proceeding in Quebec".  What was going on in Quebec that would influence Stan and Grace's life?

There had been major disagreement between the Americans and the British with regard to the right time to stage landings in Northern France.  The Americans had not wanted to attack Sicily and Italy, regarding this as a distraction from the main aim of attacking Germany through France.  The British argued that, in 1943, the Allied Forces were not ready, both in terms of men and equipment, to take on this major offensive. 

A conference between Roosevelt and Churchill was arranged to be held in Quebec, beginning on 17 August.  This cutting from the Hull Daily Mail of 21 August shows that discussions had been completed by the end of the day on 20 August.  As the decisions made were highly secret there were no post-conference press announcements.

You can see from his letter that Stan was among many in the Army hoping that the decision had been to 'get on with the job' - and finish the war!



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